Lucas Digne has opened up on why he left Everton for Aston Villa in January.

The France left-back concedes it was a wrench to leave Goodison Park, but he felt he had little choice.

Digne told L'Equipe: "I lived three and a half years of happiness and love with the supporters. I had and still have a great relationship with them, with people from the club, my former teammates.

"(Rafa) Benitez? The relationship we had was not good. It was complicated to be excluded from the group for a month. It was an unprecedented situation in my career. But I had my family and my teammates with me. I took it upon myself. I continued to work on the side, to be behind my friends. I have never refused to play.

"His statement on my desires to leave? It was a way for him to protect himself. I never asked that. People who know me at the club know that everything was going very well. I was not the only one to leave, moreover.

"An altercation with Benitez? No, and that will never happen to me. I know where my place is. I felt legitimate to give him my feelings and those of the other players in the locker room. The group was unanimous. The sequel proved me right, since he was fired because of poor results. I think he also had a bad philosophy. It didn't suit Everton."